For that reason, licensed psychotherapist Richard Boersma has designed a Web site for Yampa Valley residents to explore the world of psychotherapy and to access information about everything from bipolar disorder and social anxiety disorder to dealing with the holiday blues.

"In this day and age of cyber-everything, I figured our field of psychotherapy is a perfect fit for the Internet," he said. "This has never been done before."

Allowing people to access information about the field of psychotherapy from the comfort and privacy of their own homes likely will encourage more people to better understand the field.

"People don't understand psychotherapy, they're even afraid of it," he said. "It's a big leap people take when they start calling around and making appointments to see psychotherapists. This allows them to belly up and get acquainted without having to talk to an actual person and make a commitment."

Besides giving people valuable information about what psychotherapy is and some of the issues that can be treated with therapy, the Web site allows people to find a variety of mental health specialists practicing in the Yampa Valley. Such a comprehensive list has never been compiled, Boersma said.

"When you have a hurt toe or a headache, you know who you need to see, whether it be a neurologist or an orthopedist. But in our field, it can often be more difficult to find someone who specializes in what you're dealing with," he said. "It is not one-size-fits-all when it comes to psychotherapy."